During the course of the nineteenth century, a small group of women rose from impoverished obscurity to positions of great power, independence, and wealth. In doing so they took control of their lives -- and those of other people -- and made the world do their will. Extremely accomplished, well-educated, and unusually literate, courtesans exerted an incredible influence as leaders of society. They were not received at court, but inhabited their own parallel world -- the demimonde -- complete with its own hierarchies, etiquette, and protocol. They were queens of fashion, linguists, musicians, accomplished at political intrigue, and, of course, possessors of great erotic gifts. Even to be seen in public with one of the great courtesans was a much-envied achievement.
In an absorbing mixture of poignant biography and wonderfully entertaining social history, Daughters of Britannia offers the story of diplomatic life as it has never been told before. Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, Vita Sackville-West, and Lady Diana Cooper are among the well-known wives of diplomats who represented Britain in the far-flung corners of the globe. Yet, despite serving such crucial roles, the vast majority of these women are entirely unknown to history. Drawing on letters, private journals, and memoirs, as well as contemporary oral history, Katie Hickman explores not only the public pomp and glamour of diplomatic life but also the most intimate, private face of this most fascinating and mysterious world. Touching on the lives of nearly 100 diplomatic wives (as well as sisters and daughters), Daughters of Britannia is a brilliant and compelling account of more than three centuries of British diplomacy as seen through the eyes of some of its most intrepid but least heralded participants.
Katie Hickman went to Mexico looking for magic. She found it in the circus – Big Top, clowns, elephants and all – where cheap, torn materials and tarnished sequins are transformed into nights of glittering illusion. Gradually adjusting to the harsh ways of the circus's nomadic lifestyle, she soon became absorbed into this hypnotic new world, at first as a foreigner but later as 'La Gringa Estrella', a performer in her own right. Travels with a Mexican Circus is an unforgettable account of a year-long journey through an extraordinary and bizarrely beautiful country.
A haunting, magical story of a cursed gem and the people who suffer in its wake, set in seventeenth-century London. Most men of stature wouldn't marry their betrothed after she'd been kidnapped and forced into sexual slavery in the harem of the Great Turk, but Paul Pindar, wealthy merchant and former ambassador to Constantinople, is not most men. When Paul and Celia, finally reunited, return to London in 1611, his house at Bishopsgate has stood empty for nearly a decade. A phalanx of carpenters, upholsterers, and gardeners have been summoned to restore it to its former glory. But all is not as it seems. Celia is frail, and their marriage, despite her longing, is childless. Traumatized by her experiences, she is unprepared for English society and the duties of managing a house with a full staff. Paul arranges for Celia's old friend, Annetta, to join them in England as Celia's companion, but Annetta arrives to find that another woman, the widow Frances Sydenham, has insinuated herself into the Pindar household. Lady Sydenham seems to have a mysterious hold over Celia and, Annetta suspects, increasingly over Paul. Who is this woman, and what are her motives? Like everyone else, including members of the royal family and Pindar's greedy brother Rafe, she is fascinated by the Sultan Blue, the legendary diamond Pindar has brought back from the Middle East. All of London wants to get their hands on the jewel, despite the dark magic properties that are said to surround it, but Paul Pindar might be the only merchant who doesn't have a price.
Constantinople, 1599. Paul Pindar, a secretary to the English ambassador, thinks he has lost his love, Celia, in a shipwreck. Now, two years later, clues begin to emerge that she may be hidden among the ranks of the slaves in the Sultan's harem. But how can he be sure? And can they be reunited? With a secret rebellion rising within the Sultan's palace, danger surrounds the lovers. A lush, ancient tale of treacherous secrets, forbidden love, and murder in the Ottoman palace,The Aviary Gate is exotic historical fiction at its very best.
Venice, 1604. When rumours of a rare and priceless diamond begin to circulate amongst the gamblers and courtesans of the Venetian demi-monde, the Levant Company merchant Paul Pindar becomes convinced that the jewel is linked to the fate of his former love, Celia Lamprey. As his obsession with the mysterious stone grows it becomes clear that there are other, more sinister forces at play. Is the diamond real, or is it just a trick to lure him to his ruin?
Constantinople, 1599. Deep inside the private quarters of the Sultan's palace, the Chief Black Eunuch lies poisoned. As a veiled figure retreats from the room, a tale of ancient alliances and intrigues, of forbidden love and dangerous secrets begins to unfold.
Accompanying their spouses in the most extraordinary, tough, sometimes terrifying circumstances, this book is an account of the courageous and unusual women who have been the backbone of the foreign service. Women who struggled to bring their civilization with them. The book is illustrated with archive material, extracts from original letters between the women and their families at home, maps to show the routes they travelled and the places they were posted to and pictures of ephemera to evoke the lives they led. The chapters cover: getting there; the posting; private life; embassy life; public life; and social life.
An account of Katie Hickman's extraordinary year spent amidst the faded glamour of a Mexican travelling circus. Katie Hickman went to Mexico looking for magic. She found it in the circus - big top, clowns, elephant and all - where cheap, torn materials are transformed for a night into glittering illusion. Gradually adjusting to the harsh ways of the circus's nomadic lifestyle she soon became absorbed into this hypnotic new world. At first, as a foreigner, she was on the outskirts, but she soon became La Gringa Estrella, a performer in her own right and adopted sister to the Bell's family.
Katie Hickman went to Mexico looking for magic. She found it in the circus – Big Top, clowns, elephants and all – where cheap, torn materials and tarnished sequins are transformed into nights of glittering illusion. Gradually adjusting to the harsh ways of the circus's nomadic lifestyle, she soon became absorbed into this hypnotic new world, at first as a foreigner but later as 'La Gringa Estrella', a performer in her own right. Travels with a Mexican Circus is an unforgettable account of a year-long journey through an extraordinary and bizarrely beautiful country.
The new edition of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing focuses on practice in mental health and psychiatric care integrating theory and the realities of practice. Mental wellness is featured as a concept, and the consideration of a range of psychosocial factors helps students contextualise mental illness and psychiatric disorders. The holistic approach helps the student and the beginning practitioner understand the complex causation of mental illness, its diagnosis, effective interventions and treatments, and the client's experience of mental illness.
Millions of consumers worldwide have become trapped in a vicious spiral of debt. In the UK alone, the average owed by adults is £29,747, a sum which grows at a painfully high rate. But what can be done about it? It so easily gets out of control and there comes a point when you just don't think you'll ever get out of it. But there is hope. In this book Katie Clark and Rob Parsons guide you through the smart way to get out of debt and transform your finances. In sixty minutes.
Driver Distraction: A Sociotechnical Systems Approach promotes a sociotechnical systems approach to driver distraction. This perspective focuses on analysis of the whole system, its values, and the interactions between human and technical elements at all organisational levels. The book covers the role that the sociotechnical system plays in the theory, study and mitigation of driver distraction. The book will be of interest to accident and incident investigation researchers and practitioners.
This book introduces and explores a new pedagogical approach, Aesthetic Positive Pedagogy (APP), for teachers and students in a variety of educational contexts. The book is built on the need for educational institutions and communities to seriously consider a strong positive approach to learning and teaching, ultimately leading to a better world. Based on pre-existing philosophies such as positive pedagogy and critical pedagogy, APP encourages teachers to carefully consider their language use as well as other modal resources in the classroom. Using aesthetic experience as a core to learning, teachers can embed an approach to learning and teaching that supports wellbeing and resilience as well as caring and compassionate citizenship in their students. The authors outline what an APP approach to learning and teaching looks, feels and sounds like in different educational contexts such as in schools and higher education, and explore how it might be implemented in face-to-face as well as online learning. The book’s findings will apply to postgraduate students and academics in education and the creative arts, as well as teachers and leaders in schools.
Joe Redington Sr. was an ordinary man with extraordinary dreams—and buckets of determination! His vision was as vast as the majestic Alaska landscape he loved to explore. This firsthand account is of the man whose love for the Alaskan husky and the Iditarod Trail evolved into the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. Joe’s adventurous spirit, fierce perseverance, and creative heart burned strong within his character and enabled the impossible to become a reality. His spell-binding stories and genuine love of Alaska drew people into his dreams. This is the story of those unique feats that defined Joe’s life, and built the foundation for the most demanding and famous sled dog race in the world.
Does a second chance at life and love always involve surrender? A three-year old son, a struggling café, and fading memories are all Robin Price has left of her late husband. As the proud owner of Willow Tree Café in small town Peaks, Iowa, she pours her heart into every muffin she bakes and espresso she pulls, thankful for the sense of purpose and community the work provides. So when developer Ian McKay shows up in Peaks with plans to build condos where her café and a vital town ministry are located, she isn’t about to let go without a fight. As stubborn as he is handsome, Ian won’t give up easily. His family’s business depends on his success in Peaks. But as Ian pushes to seal the deal, he wonders if he has met his match. Robin’s gracious spirit threatens to undo his resolve, especially when he discovers the beautiful widow harbors a grief that resonates with his own. With polarized opinions forming all over town, business becomes unavoidably personal and Robin and Ian must decide whether to cling to the familiar or surrender their plans to the God of Second Chances.
Lifestyle diseases are the scourge of the modern Western world. Smoking, eating badly, not exercising, excessive drinking: these are but a few of the major challenges facing the NHS. People understand why these habits are bad for them, and most people understand how to tackle them so why is it that so many people dont have a healthy lifestyle? And, more importantly, how can we change this? This book is designed for healthcare professionals of all types, at any stage in their career. It addresses the role psychology can play in reversing poor lifestyles, putting theory into practice in the most effective and simple ways. Including case studies, evidence based practical suggestions and key points, the text will provide an invaluable resource for all of those involved in lifestyle change. "As a nursing student this book has proved invaluable in understanding the theory of health promotion, whilst providing practical ways in which both nurses and other healthcare professionals can apply this theory in practice." Natalie Liddle, nursing student, Lincoln University "Easy to read and well presented key topics in promoting healthy behaviour. The topical discussions will undoubtedly engage student nurses." Susan Thomas, Faculty of Health, John Moores University
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